On 27th June 2022, I visited RSPB Bempton Cliffs in Yorkshire.
I left my overnight stay at Travelodge Scunthorpe very early for the 1.5 hours drive to RSPB Bempton Cliffs.
The towering 400 foot high white chalk cliffs at RSPB Bempton Cliffs, which stretch for over 3 miles, are an ideal habitat for breeding seabirds. It is the largest seabird colony in England, the most accessible in Europe (park the car .... short walk .... watch) and it is a site of international importance.
From April to August, RSPB Bempton Cliffs supports England's largest population of seabirds (around half a million). This includes the following key species: Gannet, Puffin, Razorbill, Guillemot, Kittiwake, Fulmar and Herring Gull.
Grassland and scrub along the cliff tops are also home to breeding and wintering farmland birds.
My best ever experience of breeding seabirds has been on the island of Hornøya in the very far north east of Arctic Norway, almost 2300 miles from my home! Slightly closer to home are the seabird colonies on the Farne Islands in Northumberland, Skomer in west Wales and Handa in north west Scotland, all of which I have visited several times, plus other locations in Shetland and Orkney.
However, for sheer accessibility at a mainland location in the UK, RSPB Bempton Cliffs can not be beaten. No-one can fail to be amazed by the awesome scenery and the abundance of birds, many of which can be watched closely without optics and photographed with ease.
The main reason for aiming to arrive at RSPB Bempton Cliffs so early was that the Black-browed Albatross was being regularly reported from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. However, despite arriving on site at 6:30 a.m., I had apparently already missed the bird’s first flight according to other birders who had arrived even earlier. It had returned to its resting place on the cliff ledges immediately below the Staple Newk viewpoint …. out of sight.
Fortunately there is plenty to see, watch and photograph at RSPB Bempton Cliffs which is just as well since the Black-browed Albatross refused to make an appearance until 10:45 a.m., despite the assembled paparazzi wishing to photograph this celebrity.
Photo: the bird I came to see ....
Jackdaw watching birders watching the albatross at Bempton Cliffs, this morning @Bempton_Cliffs @Natures_Voice pic.twitter.com/Qh2YCUMkTf
— Andy Hall (@piedfly99) July 2, 2022
Photo: Staple Newk viewpoint, Bempton Cliffs
When the Black-browed Albatross did finally appear to an accompanying shout of “Albatross!”, it delighted observers with some exceptional views as it flew up and down several times just offshore from the cliff face for a period of some 10 minutes. Both the views and photo opportunities were significantly better than my experience last year (see here).
The Black-browed Albatross is the most widespread and common member of its family and it has a circumpolar range in the southern oceans and breeds on 12 islands throughout that range. In the Atlantic Ocean, it breeds on the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, the South Sandwich Islands and the Cape Horn Islands and it also breeds on several islands in the Pacific Ocean. This bird shouldn’t even have crossed the Equator, let alone found its way as far north as the North Sea in Europe and a sea cliff in Yorkshire!
Here is a full species account of the Black-browed Albatross …. Wikipedia - Black-browed Albatross
Please see here for my photos of the Black-browed Albatross at RSPB Bempton Cliffs.
Apart from the Black-browed Albatross, RSPB Bempton Cliffs fully lived up to the usual expectations with huge numbers of other breeding seabirds. Please see here and here for my photos of seabirds taken at RSPB Bempton Cliffs.
The highlights, amongst 25 species recorded during my visit to RSPB Bempton Cliffs, were as follows (heard only records in italics): Black-browed Albatross (1), Gannet (++++), Guillemot (++++), Razorbill (+++), Puffin (c.50), Kittiwake (+++), Fulmar (c.20), Herring Gull (c.20), Grey Heron (1 surprisingly seen flying over the sea), Common Whitethroat (1 singing male), Sedge Warbler (1 singing male), Chiffchaff (1 singing male), Blackcap (1 singing male), Swallow (c.10), Tree Sparrow (c.50 around the car park and visitor centre), Skylark (1 singing male), Meadow Pipit (1), Reed Bunting (1 singing male), Linnet (3),
Additions to my 2022 year list: Black-browed Albatross, Puffin
Here are 2 other photos taken at RSPB Bempton Cliffs ....
I finally left RSPB Bempton Cliffs at 12:30 p.m. after a 6 hour visit. I had planned to visit YWT Potteric Carr where a nesting pair of Black-winged Stilts was being reported daily. However, given that I faced a 240 miles/4.5 drive home, I decided against that.
However, before joining the A1 at Doncaster and heading south, I did visit Idle Washlands on the Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire border where a Caspian Tern had been reported for several days. This is a species that I have seen in Spain but never in the UK so it was a potential addition to my UK life list.
I arrived at Idle Washlands at about 3 p.m. and was told that the Caspian Tern had been seen at 1:15 p.m. but not since. There were around 20 birders continually scanning the area but the only tern species present was Common Tern with c.10 birds flying over.
I finally left at around 4 p.m. having failed to see the Caspian Tern. According to the BirdGuides news service, it was reported again at 5 p.m. and throughout the evening!
As I left Idle Washlands, at least I had the consolation of seeing a day-flying Barn Owl, an unexpected addition to my 2022 year list.
💚🦆 🦉🦋🐝🦊🦡🌼 🌳💚
Stay safe, stay well, stay strong, stay connected with nature
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